Chemical Elements.com - Mercury (Hg) Bentor, Yinon. Chemical Element.com - Mercury. < For more information about citing online sources, please visit the MLA's Website . This page was created by Yinon Bentor. Use of this web site is restricted by this site's license agreement . Copyright © 1996-2012 Yinon Bentor. All Rights Reserved. mercury (Hg) | chemical element | Britannica.com chemical element Mercury (Hg), also called quicksilver, chemical element , liquid metal of Group 12 (IIb, or zinc group ) of the periodic table . Properties, uses, and occurrence Mercury was known in Egypt and also probably in the East as early as 1500 bce. The name mercury originated in 6th-century alchemy , in which the symbol of the planet was used to represent the metal; the chemical symbol Hg derives from the Latin hydrargyrum, “liquid silver.” Although its toxicity was recognized at an early date, its main application was for medical purposes. Mercury is the only elemental metal that is liquid at room temperature.

( Cesium melts at about 28.5 °C [83 °F], gallium at about 30 °C [86 °F], and rubidium at about 39 °C [102 °F].) Mercury is silvery white, slowly tarnishes in moist air, and freezes into a soft solid like tin or lead at −38.87 °C (−37.97 °F). It boils at 356.9 °C (674 °F). Liquid mercury beads and a glass container. © Marcel/Fotolia It alloys with copper , tin, and zinc to form amalgams, or liquid alloys. An amalgam with silver is used as a filling in dentistry. Mercury does not wet glass or cling to it, and this property, coupled with its rapid and uniform volume expansion throughout its liquid range, makes it useful in thermometers . Barometers and manometers utilize its high density and low vapour pressure. Gold and silver dissolve readily in mercury, and in the past this property was used in the extraction of these metals from their ores.

zinc group element: The good electrical conductivity of mercury makes it exceptionally useful in sealed electrical switches and relays. An electrical discharge through mercury vapour contained in a fused silica tube or bulb produces a bluish glow rich in ultraviolet light, a phenomenon exploited in ultraviolet, fluorescent, and high-pressure mercury-vapour lamps. Mercury’s high thermal neutron-capture cross section (360 barns) and good thermal conductivity make it applicable as a shield and coolant in nuclear reactors. Much mercury is utilized in the preparation of pharmaceuticals and agricultural and industrial fungicides. Similar Topics silver (Ag) The use of mercury in the manufacture of chlorine and caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) by electrolysis of brine depends upon the fact that mercury employed as the negative pole, or cathode , dissolves the sodium liberated to form a liquid amalgam. An interesting application, though not of great commercial significance, is the use of mercury vapour instead of steam in some electrical generating plants, the higher boiling point of mercury providing greater efficiency in the heat cycle. Mercury occurs in Earth’s crust on the average of about 0.08 gram (0.003 ounce) per ton of rock.

The principal ore is the red sulfide, cinnabar . Native mercury occurs in isolated drops and occasionally in larger fluid masses, usually with cinnabar, near volcanoes or hot springs . Over two-thirds of the world supply of mercury comes from China , with most of the remainder coming from Kyrgyzstan and Chile; it is often a by-product of gold mining. Cinnabar is mined in shaft or open-pit operations and refined by flotation. Most of the methods of extraction of mercury rely on the volatility of the metal and the fact that cinnabar is readily decomposed by air or by lime to yield the free metal. Because of the toxicity of mercury and the threat of rigid pollution control, attention is being directed toward safer methods of extracting mercury. These generally rely on the fact that cinnabar is readily soluble in solutions of sodium hypochlorite or sulfide, from which the mercury can be recovered by precipitation with zinc or aluminum or by electrolysis.

(For treatment of the commercial production of mercury, see mercury processing ; for mineralogical properties, see native element [table].) Periodic Table of the Elements Extremely rare natural alloys of mercury have also been found: moschellandsbergite (with silver), potarite (with palladium), and gold amalgam. Mercury is extracted from cinnabar by roasting it in air, followed by condensation of the mercury vapour. Mercury is toxic. Poisoning may result from inhalation of the vapour, ingestion of soluble compounds , or absorption of mercury through the skin. Britannica Stories Cheetahs Face Extinction Risk Natural mercury is a mixture of seven stable isotopes: 196Hg (0.15 percent), 198Hg (9.97 percent), 199Hg (16.87 percent), 200Hg (23.10 percent), 201Hg (13.18 percent), 202Hg (29.86 percent), and 204Hg (6.87 percent).

As a wavelength standard and for other precise work, isotopically pure mercury consisting of only mercury-198 is prepared by neutron bombardment of natural gold, gold-197. Principal compounds The compounds of mercury are either of +1 or +2 oxidation state . Mercury(II) or mercuric compounds predominate. Mercury does not combine with oxygen to produce mercury(II) oxide , HgO, at a useful rate until heated to the range of 300 to 350 °C (572 to 662 °F). At temperatures of about 400 °C (752 °F) and above, the reaction reverses with the compound decomposing into its elements. Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier and Joseph Priestley used this reaction in their study of oxygen. There are relatively few mercury(I) or mercurous compounds. The mercury(I) ion, Hg22+, is diatomic and stable. Mercury(I) chloride, Hg2Cl2 (commonly known as calomel ), is probably the most important univalent compound. It is used in antiseptic salves.

Mercury(II) chloride, HgCl2 (also called bichloride of mercury or corrosive sublimate), is perhaps the commonest bivalent compound. Although extremely toxic, this odourless, colourless substance has a wide variety of applications. In agriculture it is used as a fungicide; in medicine it is sometimes employed as a topical antiseptic in concentrations of one part per 2,000 parts of water; and in the chemical industry it serves as a catalyst in the manufacture of vinyl chloride and as a starting material in the production of other mercury compounds. Mercury(II) oxide, HgO, provides elemental mercury for the preparation of various organic mercury compounds and certain inorganic mercury salts. This red or yellow crystalline solid is also used as an electrode (mixed with graphite) in zinc- mercuric oxide electric cells and in mercury batteries. Mercury(II) sulfide, HgS, is a black or red crystalline solid used chiefly as a pigment in paints, rubber, and plastics. Element Properties Mercury»the essentials [WebElements Periodic Table] Element News Mercury: the essentials Mercury is the only common metal liquid at ordinary temperatures. Mercury is sometimes called quicksilver.

It rarely occurs free in nature and is found mainly in cinnabar ore (HgS) in Spain and Italy. It is a heavy, silvery-white liquid metal. It is a rather poor conductor of heat as compared with other metals but is a fair conductor of electricity. It alloys easily with many metals, such as gold, silver, and tin. These alloys are called amalgams. Its ease in amalgamating with gold is made use of in the recovery of gold from its ores. The most important salts are mercuric chloride HgC12 (corrosive sublimate - a violent poison), mercurous chloride Hg2Cl2 (calomel, occasionally still used in medicine), mercury fulminate (Hg(ONC)2, a detonator used in explosives), and mercuric sulphide (HgS, vermillion, a high-grade paint pigment). Organic mercury compounds are important - and dangerous. Methyl mercury is a lethal pollutant found in rivers and lakes. The main source of pollution is industrial wastes settling to the river and lake bottoms. As mercury is a very volatile element, dangerous levels are readily attained in air.

Mercury vapour should not exceed 0.1 mg m-3 in air. Air saturated with the vapour at 20°C contains mercury in a concentration far greater than that limit. The danger increases at higher temperatures. It is therefore important that mercury be handled with care. Containers of mercury should be securely covered and spillage should be avoided. Mercury should only be handled under in a well-ventilated area. If you are in possession of any mercury you are advised to contact a properly qualified chemist or public health laboratory for its safe disposal. Small amounts of mercury spillage can be cleaned up by addition of sulphur powder. The resulting mixture should be disposed of carefully. Cartoon by Nick D Kim ( [Science and Ink] , used by permission). Mercury: historical information Mercury was discovered by known since ancient times in unknown at not known. Origin of name : named after the planet "Mercury" (the origin of the symbol Hg is the Latin word "hydrargyrum" meaning "liquid silver").

Mercury was known to ancient Chinese and Hindus before 2000 BC and was found in tubes in Egyptian tombs dated from 1500 BC It was used to forma amalgams of other metals around 500 BC. The Greeks used mercury in ointments and the Romans used it, unfortunately for those using it, in cosmetics. Mercury is one of the elements which has an alchemical symbol, shown below (alchemy is an ancient pursuit concerned with, for instance, the transformation of other metals into gold). {{floatR}} {{/floatR}} Sometime prior to the autumn of 1803, the Englishman John Dalton was able to explain the results of some of his studies by assuming that matter is composed of atoms and that all samples of any given compound consist of the same combination of these atoms. Dalton also noted that in series of compounds, the ratios of the masses of the second element that combine with a given weight of the first element can be reduced to small whole numbers (the law of multiple proportions). This was further evidence for atoms.

Dalton's theory of atoms was published by Thomas Thomson in the 3rd edition of his System of Chemistry in 1807 and in a paper about strontium oxalates published in the Philosophical Transactions. Dalton published these ideas himself in the following year in the New System of Chemical Philosophy. The symbol used by Dalton for mercury is shown below. [See History of Chemistry, Sir Edward Thorpe, volume 1, Watts & Co, London, 1914.] Mercury around us Read more » Mercury has no biological role but is widespread in the biosphere and in food chains, including ours. Mercury only occurs rarely as the free element in nature. Overall, it is a rare element in the earth's crust. Its main source is cinnabar ore (HgS) from Spain and Italy. The Almaden mine in Spain has been in continuous operation since 400 BC. Other sources include Yogoslavia, Russia, and North America. Abundances for mercury in a number of different environments.

More abundance data » Location Second ionisation energy : 1810 kJ mol‑1 Isolation Isolation : the physical appearance of mercury is well known because of its use in many thermometers. It was common to demonstrate the formation of mercury in the laboratory by heating mercury sulphide (cinnabar, HgS) but this is strongly discouraged today because of the toxicity of mercury vapours. Don't do it! However, this method forms the basis of commercial extraction. The prepared cinnabar ore is heated in a current of air and the mercury vapour condensed. HgS + O2 (600°C) → Hg (l) + SO2 (g) The crude mercury is then washed with nitric acid and treated with air in order to remove impurities as oxides or into solution. Further purification is achieved by distillation at reduced pressure. Mercury isotopes Read more » - Mercury isotopes are mainly used in the study of the deposition and emission of Hg in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

In one experiment in Canada three different Hg isotopes (Hg-198, Hg-200 and Hg-202) were used to find out how the route of entry of mercury to an ecosystem affects the amount that becomes accumulated in fish. Several other trials using Hg isotopes are, or have been, undertaken in lakes in the US and Canada. Hg-202 is also used for the production of radioactive Hg-203 which is used for gamma radiation calibration. It's Elemental - The Element Mercury It's Elemental Melting Point: 234.32 K (-38.83°C or -37.89°F) Boiling Point: 629.88 K (356.73°C or 674.11°F) Density: 13.5336 grams per cubic centimeter Phase at Room Temperature: Liquid Element Classification: Metal Period Number: 6 Group Number: 12 Group Name: none What's in a name? Named after the planet Mercury . Mercury's chemical symbol comes from the Greek word hydrargyrum, which means "liquid silver." Say what?

Mercury is pronounced as MER-kyoo-ree. History and Uses: Mercury was known to the ancient Chinese and Hindus and has been found in 3500 year old Egyptian tombs. Mercury is not usually found free in nature and is primarily obtained from the mineral cinnabar (HgS). Spain and Italy produce about half of the world's supply of Mercury. Mercury can be used to make thermometers, barometers and other scientific instruments. Mercury conducts electricity and is used to make silent, position dependent switches. Mercury vapor is used in streetlights, fluorescent lamps and advertising signs. Mercury easily forms alloys with other metals, such as gold , silver , zinc and cadmium . These alloys are called amalgams. Amalgams are used to help extract gold from its ores, create dental fillings (in the case of silver) and help extend the life of dry cell batteries (in the case of zinc and cadmium). Mercury forms useful compounds with other elements. Mercuric chloride (HgCl2) is a very poisonous salt and was once used to disinfect wounds. Mercurous chloride (Hg2Cl2), also called calomel, is an antiseptic used to kill bacteria.

Mercuric sulfide (HgS) is used to make a red paint pigment called vermilion. Mercuric oxide (HgO) is used to make mercury batteries. Mercury is poisonous and can enter the body through the respiratory tract, the digestive tract or directly through the skin. It accumulates in the body, eventually causing severe illness or death. Estimated Crustal Abundance: 8.5×10-2 milligrams per kilogram Estimated Oceanic Abundance: 3×10-5 milligrams per liter Number of Stable Isotopes: 7 ( View all isotope data ) Ionization Energy: 10.438 eV Mercury»historical information [WebElements Periodic Table] Mercury: historical information Mercury: historical information Mercury was discovered by Known since ancient times at no data in not known.

Origin of name : named after the planet "Mercury" (the origin of the symbol Hg is the Latin word "hydrargyrum" meaning "liquid silver") Mercury was known to ancient Chinese and Hindus before 2000 BC and was found in tubes in Egyptian tombs dated from 1500 BC It was used to forma amalgams of other metals around 500 BC. The Greeks used mercury in ointments and the Romans used it, unfortunately for those using it, in cosmetics. Mercury is one of the elements which has an alchemical symbol, shown below (alchemy is an ancient pursuit concerned with, for instance, the transformation of other metals into gold). {{floatR}} {{/floatR}} Sometime prior to the autumn of 1803, the Englishman John Dalton was able to explain the results of some of his studies by assuming that matter is composed of atoms and that all samples of any given compound consist of the same combination of these atoms. Dalton also noted that in series of compounds, the ratios of the masses of the second element that combine with a given weight of the first element can be reduced to small whole numbers (the law of multiple proportions). This was further evidence for atoms.

Dalton's theory of atoms was published by Thomas Thomson in the 3rd edition of his System of Chemistry in 1807 and in a paper about strontium oxalates published in the Philosophical Transactions. Dalton published these ideas himself in the following year in the New System of Chemical Philosophy. The symbol used by Dalton for mercury is shown below. [See History of Chemistry, Sir Edward Thorpe, volume 1, Watts & Co, London, 1914.] WebElements chemistry shop You can buy periodic table posters, mugs, T-shirts, periodic table fridge magnets, games, molecular models, and more at the WebElements periodic table shop Facts About Mercury (Hg) Facts About Mercury (Hg) By Agata Blaszczak-Boxe, Contributing Writer | December 18, 2014 06:06pm ET MORE Credit: Andrei Marincas | Shutterstock Mercury looks pretty, in its shiny, fast-moving liquid form, but don't touch! It can be extremely poisonous to humans. The symbol Hg that mercury is known by comes from its Greek name, hydrargyrum, which means "liquid silver" — to reflect its shiny surface.

The element is also known as quicksilver for its mobility. Named after the fastest-moving planet in the solar system, mercury has been known to humanity for ages. In fact, evidence of its use has been found in China, India and Egypt, and traces of mercury were found in 3,500-year-old Egyptian tombs. Mercury is a very toxic element. It can enter the body through an open wound or by inhaling or ingesting it. It can then cause damage to nerves, the liver and the kidney, as well as a number of other symptoms. Despite its toxic qualities, mercury can still be useful to us. The element conducts electricity and is used in electrical switches of thermostats and certain types of doze alarm-type alarm clocks, according to the College of Natural Resources at the University of California, Berkeley (CNR) "The place where people probably see it most commonly is in the new light bulbs — the compact fluorescent light bulbs," where mercury vapor is one of the chemicals used, said Daniel King, an associate professor of chemistry at Drexel University. Due to its high density and compactness, mercury is also used to make thermometers, barometers and other scientific instruments, according to the Jefferson Lab .

However, for safety reasons, consumer use of mercury in thermometers has become less common over the years, as digital thermometers have been introduced. In 2008, 13 states introduced laws that limit the manufacture, sale and/or distribution of mercury fever thermometers: California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Oregon, Washington, the Environmental Protection Agency reports. Just the facts Atomic number (number of protons in the nucleus): 80 Atomic symbol (on the Periodic Table of Elements): Hg Atomic weight (average mass of the atom): 200.59 Density: 13.5336 grams per cubic centimeter Phase at room temperature: Liquid Melting point: minus 37.8 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 38.83 degrees Celsius) Boiling point: 674.11 F (356.73 C) Number of isotopes (atoms of the same element with a different number of neutrons): 34.

Number of stable isotopes: 7 Most common isotope: 202Hg (29.9 percent natural abundance) Extracting gold Mercury is typically found in the form of its common ore cinnabar — mercury sulfite — and can rarely be found on its own. To extract pure mercury, the ore is ground up and heated to the temperature of about 1,076 degrees F (580 degrees Celsius) with oxygen present in the process. Mercury vapor escapes from the ores and sulfur dioxide is removed, according to CNR. The metal is condensed and washed with nitric acid to purify it, and then distilled. Mercury can form alloys with gold, silver, zinc and cadmium, which are called amalgams. Through those amalgams, mercury can be used to extract gold from rocks. When mercury comes into contact with gold, the gold dissolves into the mercury and then the two are separated, with the mercury being distilled off. Mercury also forms compounds with other elements. Interestingly, one of such compounds — mercury nitrate — played a role in the coining of the term "mad as a hatter." "Mercury was actually used in the making of hats from animal pelts," King said.

In the 18th century people used the mercury nitrate compound to clean the pelts before they turned them into hats. "And they discovered that a large percentage of the people who were working with those chemicals ended up suffering from brain damage," he said. "So the term 'mad as a hatter' actually comes from exposure to mercury." Other common mercury compounds include mercuric chloride (HgCl2) — a highly poisonous salt and that was once used as a wound disinfectant. Another example is mercurous chloride (Hg2Cl2), also known as calomel – an antiseptic used to kill bacteria, according to the Jefferson Lab.Mercuric sulfide (HgS) is used to make a red paint pigment called vermilion, and mercuric oxide (HgO) is used to make mercury batteries. Who knew? Cinnabar or vermillion was used by Paleolithic painters to decorate caves in Spain and France 30,000 years ago, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry . Alchemists used to believe that mercury could be turned into gold when combined with other metals. Mercury was the primary means of treatment for syphilis until the early 20th century.

It was used in the form of pills, calomel, ointments and steam baths. The side effects of this toxic "treatment" included tooth loss, ulcerations, neurological damage and even death, according to the Harvard University Library . Mercury is really heavy, as it weighs 13.6 times as much as the same volume of water, according to CNR. Ko-Hung, a prominent Chinese alchemist who lived in the fourth century, tried smearing mercury on people's feet as he believed that doing so would enable them to walk on water. He also placed it over a doorstep to keep thieves away and even tried combining it with raspberry juice, hoping that it would help elderly men beget children, according to the Dartmouth Toxic Metals Superfund Research Program (SRP). Mercury constitutes just 0.5 ppm of the Earth's crust, which means that it is scarcer than uranium but more abundant than gold or silver, according to CNR. The Romans operated mercury mines as penal institutions for criminals and slaves, according to SRP. Predictably, the prisoners' life span was short due to the high likelihood of poisoning. Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature.

Current research Due to mercury's toxic potential, researchers keep stumbling upon ways in which the element may be harmful to humans and the environment.For example, scientists have argued about the potential toxicity of amalgam used in dental fillings that contains about 50 percent mercury. In a review of literature published in 2005 in the journal Gesundheitswesen, researchers found that exposure to mercury in dental fillings could lead to kidney and autoimmunity problems, neurobehavioral changes and even autism. "Removal of dental amalgam leads to permanent improvement of various chronic complaints in a relevant number of patients in various trials," the authors wrote in the review. However, in another review , published in the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association, investigators came to a different conclusion, stating that: "The amount of mercury released from dental amalgam is minimal; a person would have to have 490 amalgam surfaces for there to be enough mercury vapor and ionic mercury given off from amalgam fillings to meet the maximum exposure guidelines." Upon reviewing scientific evidence, the FDA concluded that "dental amalgam fillings safe for adults and children ages 6 and above," according to the agency's website.

There is also a growing body of research on methylmercury — the most toxic form of mercury — and its harmful effects on the environment and human health. People get exposed to methylmercury mainly through eating contaminated fish and seafood that pick up the toxic compound from the ocean. Elemental mercury, the same form of mercury that can be found in thermometers, gets converted into methylmercury by ocean bacteria. "It [methylmercury] accumulates in the smaller fish that are then eaten by the bigger fish and it works its way up the food chain," in a process called bioaccumulation, King said. Methylmercury is particularly dangerous to developing embryos, which are five to 10 times more sensitive to its damaging effects on the nervous system than adults, according to the U.S. Geological Survey . Mercury gets into the oceans from multiple sources, such as air and water pollution as well as naturally occurring minerals. Much of the mercury in the North Pacific, for instance, comes from air pollution, especially power plants in Asia, according to a study published in August 2013 in the journal Nature Geoscience.

In another study, published in May 2009 in the journal Global Biogeochemical Cycle, researchers estimated that the levels of mercury in the North Pacific could double by 2050 if human-induced emissions continue at the current rate. Additional resources Mercury | Define Mercury at Dictionary.com mercury noun, plural mercuries. 1. Chemistry. a heavy, silver-white, highly toxic metallic element, the only one that is liquid at room temperature; quicksilver: used in barometers, thermometers, pesticides, pharmaceutical preparations, reflecting surfaces of mirrors, and dental fillings, in certain switches, lamps, and other electric apparatus, and as a laboratory catalyst. Symbol: Hg; atomic weight: 200.59; atomic number: 80; specific gravity: 13.546 at 20°C; freezing point: −38.9°C; boiling point: 357°C. 2. Pharmacology. this metal as used in medicine, in the form of various organic and inorganic compounds, usually for skin infections. 3.

(initial capital letter) the ancient Roman god who served as messenger of the gods and was also the god of commerce, thievery, eloquence, and science, identified with the Greek god Hermes . 4. (initial capital letter) Astronomy. the planet nearest the sun, having a diameter of 3031 miles (4878 km), a mean distance from the sun of 36 million miles (57.9 million km), and a period of revolution of 87.96 days, and having no satellites: the smallest planet in the solar system. 5. a messenger, especially a carrier of news. 6. any plant belonging to the genus Mercurialis, of the spurge family, especially the poisonous, weedy M. perennis of Europe. 7. Good-King-Henry . 8. (initial capital letter) Aerospace. one of a series of U.S. spacecraft, carrying one astronaut, that achieved the first U.S. suborbital and orbital manned spaceflights.

Origin of mercury 1300-50; Middle English Mercurie < Medieval Latin, Latin Mercurius, akin to merx goods Dictionary.com Unabridged Examples from the Web for mercury Expand Contemporary Examples But you must put all fun and games aside by Friday as mercury, squaring Jupiter, readies to enter your sign. Horoscopes: May 29-June 4, 2011 Starsky + Cox May 27, 2011 Historical Examples Maia, in whose honor this month was named, is the mother of mercury, the winged messenger of the gods. The Ultimate Weapon John Wood Campbell British Dictionary definitions for mercury Expand noun (pl) -ries 1. Also called quicksilver, hydrargyrum. a heavy silvery-white toxic liquid metallic element occurring principally in cinnabar: used in thermometers, barometers, mercury-vapour lamps, and dental amalgams.

Symbol: Hg; atomic no: 80; atomic wt: 200.59; valency: 1 or 2; relative density: 13.546; melting pt: –38.842°C; boiling pt: 357°C 2. any plant of the euphorbiaceous genus Mercurialis See dog's mercury 3. (archaic) a messenger or courier Word Origin C14: from Latin Mercurius messenger of Jupiter, god of commerce; related to merx merchandise Mercury1 (Roman myth) the messenger of the gods Greek counterpart Hermes Mercury2 noun 1. the second smallest planet and the nearest to the sun. Mean distance from sun: 57.9 million km; period of revolution around sun: 88 days; period of axial rotation: 59 days; diameter and mass: 38 and 5.4 per cent that of earth respectively Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.

1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for mercury Expand Mercury "the Roman god Mercury," mid-12c., from Latin Mercurius "Mercury," originally a god of tradesmen and thieves, from merx "merchandise" (see market (n.)); or perhaps [Klein, Tucker] from Etruscan and influenced by merx. Later he was associated with Greek Hermes. The planet closest to the sun so called in classical Latin (late 14c. in English). A hypothetical inhabitant of the planet was a Mercurean (1855) or a Mercurian (1868). For the metallic element, see mercury . n. silver-white fluid metallic element, late 14c., from Medieval Latin mercurius, from Latin Mercurius (see Mercury ).

Prepared from cinnabar, it was one of the seven metals (bodies terrestrial) known to the ancients, which were coupled in astrology and alchemy with the seven known heavenly bodies. This one probably so associated for its mobility. The others were Sun/gold, Moon/silver, Mars/iron, Saturn/lead, Jupiter/tin, Venus/copper. The Greek name for it was hydrargyros "liquid silver," which gives the element its symbol, Hg. Cf. quicksilver . Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper (mûr'kyə-rē) Symbol Hg A silvery-white, dense, poisonous metallic element that is a liquid at room temperature and is used in thermometers, barometers, batteries, and pesticides. Atomic number 80; atomic weight 200.59; melting point -38.87°C; boiling point 356.58°C; specific gravity 13.546 (at 20°C); valence 1, 2. See Periodic Table .

Our Living Language : Like a few other elements, mercury has a chemical symbol, Hg, that bears no resemblance to its name. This is because Hg is an abbreviation of the Latin name of the element, which was hydrargium. This word in turn was taken over from Greek, where it literally meant "water-silver." With this name the Greeks were referring to the fact that mercury is a silvery liquid at room temperature, rather than a solid like other metals. Similarly, an older English name for this element is quicksilver, which means "living silver," referring to its ability to move like a living thing. (The word quick used to mean "alive," as in the Biblical phrase "the quick and the dead.") The name mercury refers to the fact that the element flows about quickly: the name comes from the Roman god Mercury, who was the swift-footed messenger of the gods. Mercury The planet closest to the Sun and the second smallest in the solar system. Mercury is a terrestrial or inner planet, second in density only to Earth, with a rugged, heavily-cratered surface similar in appearance to Earth's Moon.

Its rotational period of 58.6 days is two-thirds of its 88-day orbital period, thus, it makes three full axial rotations every two years. Mercury's atmosphere is almost nonexistent; this fact, which produces rapid radiational cooling on its dark side, together with its proximity to the Sun, gives it a temperature range greater than any other planet in the solar system, from 466° to -184°C (870° to -300°F). Because it is so close to the Sun, Mercury is only visible shortly before sunrise or after sunset, and observation is further hindered by the fact that its light must pass obliquely through the lower atmosphere where it is distorted or filtered by dust and pollution. See Table at solar system . The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved. Mercury definition The Roman name of Hermes , the messenger of the Greek and Roman gods. Note: The planet nearest the sun is named Mercury. It moves swiftly in its orbit like the messenger of the gods.

Mercury definition In astronomy , the planet closest to the sun , named after the fleet-footed messenger of the Roman gods (see under “Mythology and Folklore”) because of its swift movement in its orbit . Mercury takes only eighty-eight days to go around the sun. (See solar system .) Note: Mercury is sometimes visible from the Earth as a morning or evening star . mercury definition In chemistry , a heavy, silvery metallic element , a liquid at normal temperatures. Mercury expands or contracts rapidly in response to changes in temperature and therefore was once widely used in thermometers. Note: The term mercury is used figuratively in such expressions as “The mercury's rising” to mean that the temperature is going up. The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Mercury (Hg) - Chemical properties, Health and Environmental effects Mercury Mercury is the only common metal which is liquid at ordinary temperatures. Mercury is sometimes called quicksilver. It is a heavy, silvery-white liquid metal.

It is a rather poor conductor of heat if compared with other metals but it is a fair conductor of electricity. It alloys easily with many metals, such as gold, silver, and tin. These alloys are called amalgams. The most important mercury salts are mercuric chloride HgCl2 (corrosive sublimate - a violent poison), mercuric chloride Hg2Cl2 (calomel, still used in medicine occasionally), mercury fulminate (Hg(ONC)2, a detonator used in explosives) and mercuric sulphide (HgS, vermillion, a high-grade paint pigment). Applications Mercury metal has many uses. Because of its high density it is used in barometers and manometers. It is extensively used in thermometers, thanks to its high rate of thermal expansion that is fairly constant over a wide temperature range. Its Its ease in amalgamating with gold is used in the recovery of gold from its ores. Industry uses mercury metal as a liquid electrode in the manufacture of chlorine and sodium hydroxide by electrolysis of brine. Mercury is still used in some electrical gear, such as switches and rectifiers, which need to be reliable, and for industrial catalysis.

Much less mercury is now used in consumer batteries and fluorescent lighting, but it has not been entirely eliminated. Mercury compounds have many uses. Calomel (mercurous chloride, Hg2Cl2) is used as a standard in electrochemical measurements and in medicine as a purgative. Mercuric chloride (corrosive sublimate, HgCl2) is used as an insecticide, in rat poison, and as a disinfectant. Mercuric oxide is used in skin ointments. Mercuric sulphate is used as a catalyst in organic chemistry. Vermilion, a red pigment, is mercuric sulphide; another crystalline form of the sulphide (also used as a pigment) is black. Mercury fulminate, Hg(CNO)2, is used as a detonator. Mercury in the environment Mercury occurs uncombined in nature to a limited extent. It rarely occurs free in nature and is found mainly in cinnabar ore (HgS) in Spain, Russia, Italy, China and Slovenia. World production of mercury is around 8.000 tonnes per year. Mineable reserves are around 600.000 tonnes.

Mercury is a compound that can be found naturally in the environment. It can be found in metal form, as mercury salts or as organic mercury compounds. Mercury enters the environment as a result of normal breakdown of minerals in rocks and soil through exposure to wind and water. Release of mercury from natural sources has remained fairly the same over the years. Still mercury concentrations in the environment are increasing; this is ascribed to human activity. Most of the mercury released from human activities is released into air, through fossil fuel combustion, mining, smelting and solid waste combustion. Some forms of human activity release mercury directly into soil or water, for instance the application of agricultural fertilizers and industrial wastewater disposal. All mercury that is released in the environment will eventually end up in soils or surface waters. Mercury is not naturally found in foodstuffs, but it may turn up in food as it can be spread within food chains by smaller organisms that are consumed by humans, for instance through fish. Mercury concentrations in fish usually greatly exceed the concentrations in the water they live in. Cattle breeding products can also contain eminent quantities of mercury.

Mercury is not commonly found in plant products, but it can enter human bodies through vegetables and other crops, when sprays that contain mercury are applied in agriculture. Health effects of mercury Metallic mercury is used in a variety of household products, such as barometers, thermometers and fluorescent light bulbs. The mercury in these devices is trapped and usually does not cause any health problems. However, when a thermometer will break a significantly high exposure to mercury through breathing will occur for a short period of time while it vaporizes. This can cause harmful effects, such as nerve, brain and kidney damage, lung irritation, eye irritation, skin rashes, vomiting and diarrhoea. Mercury has a number of effects on humans, that can all of them be simplified into the following main effects: - Disruption of the nervous system - Damage to brain functions - DNA damage and chromosomal damage - Allergic reactions, resulting in skin rashes, tiredness and headaches - Negative reproductive effects, such as sperm damage, birth defects and miscarriages Damaged brain functions can cause degradation of learning abilities, personality changes, tremors, vision changes, deafness, muscle incoordination and memory loss. Chromosomal damage is known to cause mongolism.

Mercury - Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table Chemistry in its element: mercury (Promo) You're listening to Chemistry in its element brought to you by Chemistry World, the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry. (End promo) Chris Smith Hello! This week, we're exploring the link between mad hatters, mascara, the emperors of China and fishing floats; a strange combination you might say, but probably not as strange as this! Fred Campbell Could a man walk across a swimming pool filled with mercury? Don't ask me how the conversation had reached this point, but being surrounded by friends, who would, it is fair to say, describe themselves as science illiterate, I knew it was up to me, the token scientist around the table, to give the definitive answer. "No." I confidently said, adding rather smugly, "it is nowhere near dense enough." The next morning I was rudely awakened by my ringing mobile; I was wrong! Elemental mercury, a liquid at room temperature, is 13 times denser than water.

Enough it turns out to support a man of average build and yes, if you type man sitting on mercury into Google, you'll quickly find a 1972 photograph, published in National Geographic of a man suited and booted, sat unaided, albeit a little nervously, on top of a tank of rippling mercury. I've been unequivocally proved wrong, but within a fraction of a second, this feeling had been transformed to sheer amazement. Amazement not just at the fact that mercury was so dense it could support a man, but more pressingly that the man in question was very likely giving himself a lethal dose of mercury poisoning in one fatal pose. Surely even in 1972, this kind of activity was seen as an exceptionally bad idea. This of course was not the first time that man has been lowered in by mercury. With its Greek name, hydrargyrum, literally meaning liquid silver it's perhaps unsurprising that for the last three millennia, civilizations have been transfixed, believing mercury held wondrous physical and spiritual properties, but often those who dabbled reached an unpleasant and mercurial end.

The Romans were renowned for using it in cosmetics, often disfiguring their faces in the process. The Egyptians were buried with it to illustrate their civilizations' mining prowess and the ancient Chinese drank lethal Mercury cocktails seeking eternal life and well-being. In deed, Chinese first emperor, Qin Shi Huang is said to have believed so strongly in the magical properties of Mercury that he died seeking immortality by coughing out Mercury and powdered jade, pick-me-up. His tomb yet to be fully unearthed is thought to be surrounded by great rivers of the element and guarded by the 8000 soldiers of the terracotta army. Skipping forward to the 18th Century and for the first time, psychological illnesses were attributed to mercury exposure. The madness of many millionaires was blamed on the extensive use of mercuric nitrate in the hat industry and the phrase mad as a hatter was coined. The link almost certainly inspired Lewis Carroll to dream up the Mad Hatter, although much debate hangs over whether he is in fact displaying the symptoms of mercury poisoning. From this point on, the hazards of mercury were well documented; but despite its toxicity, it continued to find many uses in everyday applications throughout the last century.

To forego reeling off a huge list of weird and wonderful uses for mercury, I would just briefly mention my personal favourite, fishing floats, used to maintain in an regular wobble on the water surface, the mercury float proves so alluring to fish that even now after its use has been globally banned, there is active research to find a replacement to do an equal job. It can still be found swirling around in dentistry, where it is used in amalgam fillings and it remains an important ingredient of many mascaras. But both these sources of mercury are currently under threat. Even the humble thermometer is gradually being phased out to be replaced by alcohol filled digital or thermistor-based instruments. On one hand, it saddens me to think that mercury will eventually be an elemental artefact sitting hopelessly between gold and thallium in the periodic table, but on the other, it constantly reminds me of the dangers that hide behind the façade of its beautiful silver lustre. As for the man sitting on the vat of mercury, unfortunately I'm still waiting to hear back from National Geographic, for his sake though, we can only hope that he is living a long and healthy life and has not joined the long list of mercury's many victims.

Chris Smith Chemistry World's Fred Campbell on the uses and abuses of element number 80, Quick silver, otherwise known as mercury. Here's a taste of what to look forward to next time. Adina Payton The first thing most people think about when this element is mentioned is barium enema or barium swallow, sickly memories often surface off the radiology clinic, where the nice nurse asked you, 'what flavour would you like, strawberry or banana'. Chris Smith A hard act to swallow, you could say, but thankfully a very digestible account of barium. That's coming up with Adina Payton on next week's Chemistry in its element. I'm Chris Smith, thank you for listening and goodbye! (Promo) Chemistry in its element is brought to you by the Royal Society of Chemistry and produced by thenakedscientists.com . There's more information and other episodes of Chemistry in its element on our website at chemistryworld.org/elements . (End Promo)

Question: Hg is the chemical symbol for which element?
Answer: Mercury